Automatic poultry feeder



Feb. 16, 1954 H. ERICKSON 2,559,218,

AUTOMATIC POULTRY FEEDER Filed Nov. 27. 195o 2 sheets-sheet 1 BY 145 EZMQM Feb. 16, 1954 H, ERlCKsON" v. 2,669,218

AUTOMATIC POUL'TRY FEEDER Filed Nov. 27. 195o f 2 sheets-'sheet 2 Fig INVENTOR.

- Harry E riclrsan I Patented Feb. 16, 1954 astma UNITED STATES rATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC POULTRY FEEDER Harry Erickson, Raymond, Nebr.

Application November 27, 1950, Serial No. 197,689

4 Claims. `(Cl. 119--57) This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in feeders, and more particularly pertains to an automatic poultry feeder.

An important object of this invention is to provide a feeder for poultry and the like which will maintain a predetermined amount of feed in the feed trough.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a poultry feeder which will automati- I cally dispense feed from a hopper 'into the feed trough as the feed is consumed from the latter.

A further object of this invention is to provide a hopper which is so constructed and positioned that it will prevent the poultry from entering the trough and scratching therein.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an agitator for the poultry feed hopper which is actuated each time the dispenser is operated, to prevent clogging of the feed in the hopper and permit the dispenser to properly dispense the feed.

An additional object of this invention is to pro"- vide an actuator for the dispensing means which will actuate the dispensing means only when a predetermined minimum of feed is disposed in the trough and will deactuate the dispensing means after a predetermined maximum amount of feed has been dispensed into the trough.

An important feature of*l this invention resides in the provision of a counterbalanced trough with a mechanism for dispensing feed into the trough, and with a mechanism for controlling the vdispensing mechanism in response to movement of the trough about its fulcrum, whereby a predetermined amount of feed is maintained in the trough.

Another feature of this invention residesv in the provision of a counterbalance for the trough in which the center of gravity thereof will shift as the trough moves about its pivot, whereby the dispenser will be actuated only when a predetermined minimum amount of feed remains in the trough, and deactuated after a predetermined maximum amount of feed has been positioned in the trough.

A further feature of this invention resides in the provision of a hopper disposed above the trough and having relatively converging side walls, with the dispenser disposed in the hopper, the hopper being so constructed and positioned it precludes the poultry from bodily entering the trough.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features are attained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

2 Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the hopper, parts being broken away and shown in section to show details of construction;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken ...on the plane 2-2 of Figure 1;

, Figure 4 is a diagrammatic sketch showing the dispenser actuating mechanism; v

Figure 5 is Aa reduced perspective' elevational view showing one side of the feeder; and,

Figure 6 is a reduced perspective elevational vieu/showing the other side of the feeder.

Reference is now made more specifically to the accompanying drawings wherein the feeder is denoted generally by the numeral I0.

The base of the feeder ID includes a bottom wall I2, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced upstanding panels I4, I6 and I8. The hopper is formed between adjacent panels I4 and I5 and includes a, pair of side walls 20 secured to the adjacent panels I4 and I6 which side walls include vrelatively converging portions 22 forming a dispenser chute. y

The dispenser includes a longitudinally fiuted cylinder 24 which has a shaft 26 extending therethrough and which shaft has its end rotatably mounted in journals 28 and 30 attached to the adjacent upstanding panels I4 and I I. An agitator 32 which includes a rod 34 and radially extending longitudinally spaced fingers 36 is ro,- tatably mounted in journals 38 and 4G, carried by the panels I4 and I6 respectively. The agitator is disposed above the dispenser cylinder 24 in the hopper, to agitate the feed 42 in the hopper to insure that the feed will be properly dispensed. A cover 44, having handles 46 thereon is detachably disposed on the hopper to prevent poultry from entering the latter.

"An elongated feed trough 48 is vertically piv otally attached to the bottom wall I2 by means of the trunnions 5I] and 52 carried by the bottom wall I2 and trough respectively, the trunnion being connected by a suitable pivot pin 54.

The panel I6 has an opening 56 therein through which the trough 48 movably extends, that portion of the trough which underlies the hopper being provided with a marginal retaining flange 5S to retain the feed thereon.

Sideeplates are secured to the panels I6 and I8 to provide a housing for the feeder actuating mechanism, a suitable top wall 62 being secured to the`plates.60. A shelf 64 is mounted byv brackets 66 in the housing in vertical spaced relation to the bottom Wall I2, and constitutes a support for an electrical motor 68. The motor pulley 10 is drivingly connected by a belt 'I2 to the rod pulley 14 and the shaft pulley 16 is connected by a belt 18 to a pulley 80 carried by the rod whereby the agitator and dispenser will be driven in timed relation to each other by the motor.

The trough 48 has a receptacle 82 on the end thereof which is :disposed in the housing., which receptacle `has a closure member vlill! thereon whereby the receptacle may be filled with a liquid 86 for counterbalancing the trough. .it is intended the level of the liquid be below the top of the receptacle whereby wherrth'ez trough f;

is tilted the center of gravity of the..fluida86will shift towards and away from the pivot pin '4, dependent on whether thei receptacle fiend lfofftl-ie trough is above or below the horizonta-llydisposed neutral position .of the trough. 'A mer- `curvy switch 88 is vertically ,pivotally attached to' the'panel t8, asby bracket 9B and an 'operan arm 92 "carried by theswitchf 88 "is connected bya linlg 94, to `the pivot 'pin attached`-to"the trough 48.

As will be noted, "the 'switch'BB' is connected in series with theinotorfli'' anda' source'o'f 'power '(not shown) by conductorsand't, the-'motor being "otherwise 'connected by conductor run to the source.

1J-impair "of side rails ym2 are attached to` che -bottom wall 'I'Z ^on"olgipositefsides 'of'ithe trough topr 'eilt .poiiltryfr'om "stepping on the' same. Further, "h'eff' the 'side'platesll may^be pro- 'vidd with'afhingedldoor NT4`to"facilitate access to "the `'feeder actuating 'mechanisms 'previously described. 'f In "operation, 'wheneverl'e'ss` thanf a 'predeteriiilne'd fiilnimnnamou'ntlof feed fisv 'disposed 'on the"'triigh,""the trough will .'pivotabout 'the upin :Srintothe position shown in Figure'il, J 'duetto niefc'cunterbalenee"lec'eptaeie andnuidifsz and `86 -rfespetitively. The "switch"88 will :xbe irovecPt'o' its circuit closing "posltionbyfthe link 94`which will .cause the Aagitator andnispenser lli'gh. ""Slll'C'e a `lotlgitifdli'lly,"lllte`d 'Cylinder i utilized.: as thezdisp'enser, fit 'will be apparent `t at"`it" "rne'iyJ be "so "de"signed as "'to contact'th'e relatively converging. portions"'22' of'the si'dewalls whereby 'only "measured quantities, determined 'by Athe "size "of "the" 'flutes in the' cylinder-@will rbe dispensed Since thecenter'orgravity ofthe 'fluid-18 5"-moves :away from tithe* Divot Ypin i154 "wherff the'l'latter *ls siiiiicientfftofcause" theitroughfztorrmovezbacktinto its neutral position. Since,aasfrlpreviously^dismissed; @thecenterlotcgravityf :of thei :fluidiv shifts l`as the rtrough IAmoves v.1i-nto i its` r switch-f. actuating invention, what is xlongitudinally flnted .cylinder disposed in closing relation with said converging side walls, a trough placed in spaced relation below said cyllzfinder, said trough being pivotally mounted ad- ,.jacentconeiend thereof for oscillatory movement toward and away from said cylinder, a counter- -wveight attached to said trough, said counterweight being vsuiiicient to cause movement of an trough-'toward said cylinder, means inclnding a motor for rotating said cylinder, a switch responsive to movement of said trough toward .,said. cylinder ,for energizing .said motor. 4i2. .Aniautomaticjeeder comprisinga support, a'hopper mounted-in elevated relation onsaid support, :said hopper having converging `sides 1de- .iining ,a discharge slot, a Aluted .dispensing roller mounted insaidslot, k:a motor connected in driving relation to said roller, a trough mountedjn ,spaced` relation V` below said slot, .said trough :beingpivoted :adjacent ,one end .for ,movement .to- :ward and away ,from .said .,slot, Ua counterweight operatively, l.connected lto said trough. s aid (coun- .terv/.eight .including Yan elcngatedcontanen a diuid weight vvin `Vsaid.coritairler, said` container ,being so v.positioned that ,.when-.said.:tl0l1g.h "iS moved away from saidslot,thegcenterofggravity. .of i said weight; moves, closer lto said Itrough, Land vwhen said. trough zmoves .toward said .slot ,the center .of lgravity of said Weight moves ffLWlfY .from said y trough, a, switch, `:sr/iid, counterfweight being .operativelyconnected @to said `,switch .to energize sai'd motor in response toxmoveinentbf said Itroughtoward :said slot.

Infaneautolnaticfeeder havingya-,hopper Wlih a discharge slctfgzand :fa uted dispensing: :roller `mounted :in said-,'fslot, .f a-feed :trough mounted in spaee'drrelation r'below said .f slot, said :trough being -'pivoted= adiacentfone end 'for movement fetoward .aid-away Afrom said slot,v av counterbalanee fixed to-sa-id trough, said counterbalancef includingu anelongated "'container,; ,a fluid ,weight Uin Ivsaizrcontainer,"said'container being so positioned `that 'when *said` trough is movedaway 4from said "slot" the'uidweight ,willlhave a.: mortieren-.arm with respecttdsaid trougknandwhensaid trough is moved toward said slot the fluid weight rwill haveaalonglever :ar-m'with respect-to,saidrttolish. 4. Jn. an automatic.;feeder having-,a 'hOplEJCIIWih a. discharge "slot :iandna -i'luted A,dispensing mountedzinasaid sloteai` feed @trough-:mount 'spacedrrelation /belowrsaidnslotiazsaid-rtroughwbeingrpivoted iadfjacent: one vendr iorrrnovernent.'` toward :.an'dawayf-romf'said1fs1ot, -a Vcounterbalance fixed `toa-said ftrough, said counter-balance `includingan f elongated NNcontainer, a fluid-weight in" said' container, 4said container being so; -posi- 'tionedithat'when said trough is moved away from `sa'icl'slot'the*fiuidweiglfit Willhave" a short lever arrnwitl'rl respect` to 'said trough, and when said trough'is'moved'toward'said slot the huid-weight will. have amlong lever arm kwith respect tosaid trough, a-'m'otor connected-indri'vingrelation to said dispensing @rol-ler, ay -switchwresponsive@to the positionrbf saidif-trongh4 for renergizingmsaid motor when said trough is moved toward said slot.

HARRY ERICKSON.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Allington Oct. 5, 1858 Richards Aug. 19, 1890 10 Anderson Oct. 11, 1904 Webber Oct. 31, 1916 Cottrel Nov. 9, 1920 Number Number l 

